Pneumatic bottle shooting gun



Oct. 10, 1950 w. a. SHERMAN PNEUMATIC BOTTLE sHooTINc GUN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20, 1947 AGENT N m, .A M T m m. gm. .u N 3. M5 on 2 my 1.6. um m NW m H 1 11 m a u w 00 0 .VJ n L U- L Y 3 I B T m 3 n o. fi. h 2. T V N 3 w m 5 Q 2 N N amw l l'l w v i a J b w y mm v v .M 2 .1 v mt 2 5 8 w Patented Oct. 10, 1950 UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE PNEUMATIC BOTTLE SHOOTING GUN Wilbur G. Sherman, San Diego, Calif.

Application October 20, 1947, Serial No. 780,777

Claims.

My invention relates to a pneumatic bottle shooting gun, more particularly for use in projectin beer bottles or other similar bottles for entertainment purposes and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a bottle shooting gun of this class which is particularly adapted for use in projecting plastic beer bottles or other similar bottles for the purpose of entertaining persons enjoying the sport of shooting;

Second, to provide a bottle shooting gun of this class which is very forceful in projecting a beer bottle or thelike over a considerable distance whereby considerable excitement is created in the shooting of said gun;

, Third, to provide a bottle shooting gun of this class which is adapted to project bottles base first whereby pressure exerted on the bottle is introduced at the neck end thereof preventing collapse of the bottle under reasonably high pressures exerted there against in the barrel of the bottle shooting gun;

Fourth, to provide a bottle shooting gun of this class having a barrel in which locating springs hold the bottle in certain positionpreliminary to the projection thereof from thegun whereby the bottle is prevented from becoming cracked or broken due to initial lateral'thrust thereof in the barrel when the air pressure is suddenly applied thereto;

Fifth, to provide a bottle shooting gun of this class having a novel air inlet baflle arranged to direct the compressed air toward one side of the neutral axis of a bottle in the barrel of the gun whereby the release of compressed air in the barrel over said bafiie prevents undue initial thrust which permits the gun to be fired quite rapidly whereby numerousrounds of bottles may be projected from the barrel of the gun invery rapid consecutive-order; H w

Eighth, to provide a bottle shooting gun of this class having a-novel trigger valve me'cha-r Ninth, to provide abottle shooting gun of. this class requiring only compressed air for propellingzof the bottles from the gun; and

Tenth, to provide a bottle shooting gun of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, efiicient in operation and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order. I

With these and other object in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as-will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being qSimilar characters of reference refer to similar parts and .portions throughout the several views ofthe drawings. V a

, The gun barrel I, pressure cylinder 2, sleeve 3, bottle engaging springs 4 and 5, magazine 6, valve 1, air cylinder 8, plunger 9, spring ll], trigger valve casing ll, trigger l2, pistons l3 and I4, loading handle 15, trigger handle l6, counter l1, standard I8, sight l9, tubes 20, 2| and 22, and the spring 23 constitute the principal parts and portions of'by bottle shooting gun.

The gun barrel l is a hollow tubular member having an opening la in the side wall thereof surrounded by the sleeve 3 which is reciprocally mounted over said gun barrel i as indicated by dash lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Rigidly connected to the outer side of the sleeve 3 is'a plate spring 4 having a nib 4a extending through an opening 30, in the sleeve 3 for engagement with bottles as indicated by dash lines A in Fig.

2. The spring 5 is a plate spring secured to the inner side of the gun barrel l adjacent the rear edge of the opening la therein and this spring 5 is arranged toiengage the neck end of a bottle as indicated by dash lines-A for positively 10+ catingthe same relatively to the nib la andith'e baffle lb'in the rear'end of the barrel I extend ing ininclined relationship to substantiallythe middle portion of the interior of said gun barrel l. Connected to the gun barrel l in adjacent relationship with said bafile lb is the :pressure cylinder 2. Reciprocally mounted. in this: pres-- sure cylinder 2 is the valve]. This valve] isfa magazine 6.

slidably mounted poppet valve having a soft seat facing Ia and an external groove lb in which the O-ring To is positioned. This O-ring is slidable internally of the concentric hollow cylindrical portion 2a of the pressure cylinder 2. It is to be noted that the inside diameter of the hollow cylindrical portion 2a is slightly less than the inside diameter of the gun barrel I adjacent to the end of which the poppet valve I is engaged, providing a differential area between the engaging side of the poppet valve at the facing Ia and the opposite side whereby pressure existing in the cylinder 2 forces the poppet valve 7 against the end ie of the gun barrel I withcertain sealing thrust in addition to the thrust of the spring Ii), as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The slight differential in area as hereinbefore set forth permits the poppet valve 1 to be forced away from the end Ic of the gun barrel I with a minimum amount of pressure. Secured to the valve I is a plunger shank 9a of the plunger 9 .having a :piston portion 91) in the air cylinder 8,

compensate for movement of the poppet valve within said hollow cylindrical portion 2a all as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The gun barrel I is mounted on the standard I8 and is supported by a spaced rail I 8a secured to the gun barrel I by the bracket I8b near its forward end and secured to the pressure cylinder 2 near its rearward end providing clearance for the reciprocal movement of the sleeve 3 around the gun when loading the bottles from the The loading handle I5 is rigidly connected to the sleeve 3 and extends backwardbarrel I 'ly-throughthe slide bracket I5a secured to the I6 and places his trigger finger over the end I20. of the trigger I2. the trigger casing II and secured on the shank The trigger I2 is mounted in The magazine 6 is a channel shaped in cross section inclined member communicating with the opening la in the side wall of the gun barrel I outwardly of the sleeve 3 as shown best in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The standard I8 is provided with a pair of telescopic tubular portions I80 and IM mounted on an enlarged base I8e so that the elevation of the gun may be changed by telescopically adjusting the tubes I80 and I801 and fixing them together with a bolt I8 which may be placed in any one of a plurality of holes in the tubes I80 and Ifid.

The operation of my bottle shooting gun is substantially as follows:

The magazine 6 is filled with bottles as indicated by dash lines A in Fig. 3 of the drawings,

I 219 of the trigger I2 are the pistons I3 and I4 arranged in spaced relationship in the cylinder I I as shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The spring 23 surrounding the shank I2b tends to hold the pistons I3 and I4 in the position as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings wherein the air inlet 20 communicates directly with the tube 2I which feeds air under pressure to the inside of the pressure cylinder 2. The tube 22 communicating with the interior of the air cylinder 8 at one'side of the piston 9b communicates with the air supply tube 20 when the trigger I2 is pulled backwardly compressing the spring 23 and moving the pistons I3 and I4 against compression of the spring 23 whereby the piston I3 passes the tube 22 and the piston I4 passes the tube 2| shutting off the supply of air to the pressure cylinder 2 and diverting it to the air cylinder 8. These pistons I3 and I4 are provided with. external 0 rings arranged to prevent escape of air therearound and the cylinder II at its opposite ends is provided with vent openings Ila and III) arranged to compensate for entrapment of air in the ends of the cylinders adjacent the pistons I3. and I4 respectively.

and these bottles A gravitate to the sleeve 3 which covers the opening Ia. in the gun barrel I.

When the sleeve 3 is forced forwardly into the dash line position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings by means of the handle I522, one of the bottles A gravitates through the opening Ia into the gun barrel I then the operator forces the sleeve backwardly between the bottle in the gun barrel I and the adjacent bottle in the magazine 6. The radius at the periphery of the butt end of the bottles permits the sleeve 3 to pass therebetween quite readily. When the sleeve 3 is positioned in the solid line position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the nib 4a of the spring 4 holds the bottle A downwardly in the gun barrel I as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the spring 5 engages the neck thereof holding the same forwardly in the barrel in spaced relation from the baffle Ib which extends to substantially the axis of the barrel. The operator in shooting the bottle pulls the trigger I2a which slides the pistons I3 and I4 beyond the tubes 2| and 22. opening the inlet of ..compressed air from the tube 20 to the tube 22 which forces the piston 9b of the plunger 9 backwardly carrying the poppet valve 1 away from the end Ic of the gun barrel I permitting the air .in the pressure cylinder 2 to be exhausted :intothe gun barrel I and force the bottle A outwardly thereof at fairly high velocity. .As each bottle emerges from the gun barrel I, the counting device I! registers the bottlenumerically. It will be noted that when the poppet valve I is pulled backwardly, the required force to move the same away from the end 10 of the gun barrel I is nominal inasmuch as the inside diameter of the tube 20. is only slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the gun barrel -I, thus providing a small pressure differential on the poppet valve 1 in favor of the compressed air inside the pressure cylinder 2. I

It will be here noted that when the trigger I2 is pulled, the piston I4 covers the tube 2| preventing escape of air therefrom and further entrance of-air into the cylinder ,II from the supply tube 20 so that. air cannot leak outwardly from the cylinder II through the pressure cylinderZ and gun barrel I when. the trigger I2 has been pulled; andwhen the trigger I2 is released, the spring 23 forces the plungers I3 and -I4 into such position that thestube 22 cornmunieating with the air cylinder 8 is shut off from the air pressure supply 20, permittin the spring II] to force thepoppet valve 1 into the position as shown in'Fig. 2 of the drawings. The cylinder 8 is vented on one side of the piston 9b by the opening 8a. Air is'forced outwardly through the tube22 at one side of the piston 9b and is vented through the opening II a in the trigger valve casing ll. Likewise, the vent llb operates adjacent the piston [4 for relieving air entering the cylinder ll due to the pulling of the trigger l 2, all as hereinbefore described. It will be noted that the bafile lb, when the trigger I2 is pulled, deflects the air admitted through the poppet valve 1 upwardly to the upper side of the bottle A which is held in position by thenib 4a of the spring 6 and the neck engaging spring 5. The combination of the nib 4a, the spring and the baffle lb prevents the bottle A from receiving lateral thrust against the side of the barrel at the edge of the opening la which reduces breakage of the bottles leaving the gun to a minimum.

It will be noted that bottles may be shot from the gun barrel I in rapidsuccession by repeatedly opening'and closing the sleeve 3 in connection with the handle l5 and pulling the trigger l2a after the sleeve 3 has been closed in each cycle of operation thereof. The sight IS on the gun barrel 1 affords aiming facility for the operator of the gun and improves generally the accuracy of pointing the same.

It will be here noted that the bottles A are projected base first where-by the neck end thereof faces toward the breech of the gun and these bottles, so projected, withstand higher pressures, and consequently may be projected at higher velocities. 7

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to'this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1'. In a bottle shooting gun of the class described, the combination of a gun barrel, a pressure chamber communicating with the breech end of said barrel, a poppet valve engaging the open breech end of said gun barrel within said pressure chamber and provided with an extending reduced diameter portion, said pressure chamber provided with a hollow, tubular portion slightly smaller in internal diameter than the internal diameter of the bore of'said gun barrel in which hollow tubular portion the reduced diameter portion of said poppet valve is reciprocally mounted and means for retracting said poppet valve away from the open end of said gun barrel longitudinally j thereof, said retracting means comprising an air cylinder, secured in connection with said pressure cylinder having a plunger therein connected to said poppet valve for forcing same away from the open end of said gun barrel, a, trigger valve for controlling'the flow of air pressure to said air cylinder, said trigger valve having a cylindrical casing, a plunger mounted therein having two spaced pistons, an air pressure supply entering said trigger valve casing intermediate said pistons, a tubular conductor extending from a position intermediate said pistons in communication with said pressure cylinder and, a second tubular conductor communicating with the interior of said trigger valve casing and said air cylinder adapted to be opened to said pressure supply tube when said pistons in said trigger valve casing are shifted longitudinally thereof, whereby the shifting of said pistons closes oif the tubular conductor intermediate said trigger valve casing and said pressure cylinder.

2. In 'a bottle shooting gunof the class described, the combination of a gun barrel, a pressure chamber communicating with the breech .end of said barrel, a poppet valve engaging the open breech end of said gun barrel within said pressure chamber and provided with an extend ing reduced diameter portion, said pressure chamber provided with a hollow, tubular portion slightly smaller in internal diameter than the internal diameter of the, bore of said gun barrel, in which thereduced diameter portion of said poppet valve fie-"reciprocally mounted and means for retracting said poppet valve away from the open end of said gun barrel longitudinally thereof, said gun barrelliaving an opening near the breech end there- .of, arranged to admit bottles, a sleeve slidably mounted over. said opening and a handle for operating said sleeve, a channel shaped magazine arranged in upwardly and laterally inclined relationship with said opening in said gun barrel arranged to hold a plurality of bottles adjacent said opening in said gun barrel.

3. In a bottle shooting. gun of the class described, the combination of a gun barrel, 9, pressure chamber communicating with the breech end of said barrel, a poppet valve engaging the open breech end of said gun barrel within said pressure chamber and provided with an extending reduced diameter portion, said pressure chamber provided with a hollow, tubular portion slightly smaller in internal diameter than the internal diameter of the bore of said gun barrel, in which the reduced diameter portion of said poppet Valve is reciprocally mounted and means for retracting said poppet valve away from the open end of said gun barrel longitudinally thereof, said gun barrel having an opening near the breech end thereof, arranged to admit bottles, a sleeve slidably mounted over said opening and a handle for operating said sleeve, a channel shaped magazine arranged in upwardly and laterally inclined relationship with said opening in said gun barrel arranged to hold a plurality of bottles adjacent said opening in said gun barrel, a spring loaded nib in connection with said sleeve adapted to engage the side of each bottle when positioned in said gun barrel for holding the same downwardly away from said opening.

4. In a bottle shooting gun of the class described,'the combination of a gun barrel, a pressure chamber communicating with the breech end of said barrel, a poppet valve engaging the open breech end of said gun barrel within said pressure chamber and provided with an extending reduced diameter portion, said pressure chamber provided with a. hollow, tubular portion slightly smaller in internal diameter than the internal diameter of the bore of said gun barrel, in which the reduced diameter portion of said poppet valve is reciprocally mounted and means for retracting said poppet valve away from the open end of said gun barrel longitudinally thereof, said gun barrel having an opening near the breech end thereof, arranged to admit bottles, a sleeve slidably mounted over said opening and a handle for operating said sleeve, a channel shaped maga-' zine arranged in upwardly and laterally inclined relationship with said opening in said gun barrel 7 arranged to hold a plurality of bottlesadjacent said opening in said gun barrel, a spring loaded nib in connection with said sleeve adapted to engage the side of each of said bottles when positioned in said gun barrel for holding the same downwardly away from said opening, a spring clip near the breech end of said barrel, for maintaining the neck of said bottle in spaced relationship with the breech'oi said barrel.

5. In a bottle shooting gun of the class described, the combination of a gun barrel, a pressure chamber communicating with the breech end of said barrel, a poppet valve engaging the open breech end of said gun barrel within said pressure chamber and provided with an extending reduced diameter portion, said pressure chamber provided with a hollow, tubular portion slightly smaller in internal diameter than the internal diameter of the bore of said gun barrel, in which the reduced diameter portion of said poppet valve is reciprocally mounted and means for retracting said poppet valve away from the open end of said gun barrel longitudinally thereof, said gun barrel having an opening near the breech end thereof, arranged to admit bottles, a sleeve slidably mounted over said opening and a handle for operating said sleeve; a channel shaped magazine arranged to hold a plurality of bottles adjacent said opening in said gun barrel, a spring loaded nib in connection with said sleeve adapted to engage the side of each of said bottles when positioned in said gun barrel for holding the same downwardly away from said opening, a spring clip near the breech end of said barrel, for maintaining the neck of said bottle in spaced relationship with the breech of said barrel, whereby pressure exerted from said pressure cylinder on said bottle is exerted on the neck end thereof.

WILBUR G. SHERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

